Chapter five
We need you home
Two weeks earlier
Gabriella left everyone behind at her house after the Jordan and Oliver giving her answers she long-awaited since she was 11 years old. When she got to her mother's grave, she opens the last letter her mother wrote, and the one wasn't sent because her father killed her mother. She opened the letter and read the following,
My dear sweet angel Gabriella,
How I miss you and love you with all my heart. Even though I am not with you now, I hope to be with you, for your father has hurt us for the last time; I am leaving him and coming back to you to be with my parents start a new life: new life you joy, music, and love. I am sorry I had to let you go and stay with your father; I loved him d. He was my father, but that was no excuse for letting you go. But I pray for God for your protection and safety above all others, including me. And having you taking to be with my parents was the answer to my prayer. And I hear your prayers; sweetie pie wants daddy and me to be happy and love you. And we did, but daddy was sick and has suffered. And use the suffering to hurts others like you and me. And I am sorry he shouldn't have done that to us, tears us apart. But I promise and pray that I will make up to you. But I find myself not making g it up. I pray God tells you that you are worthy and deserving the best love In all the world. Forgive me, my angel, and promise me to keep singing what's in your heart and fight for it.
All my love in the world
From your mother
Gabriella sobbing pleading to God out loud,
" Oh, Dear God. I am sorry, not just for me but my mother; forgive me for doubting you for turning my back on you. I see now that you love as much as my mother did. I am sorry for the decisions I made. Sing my love for you."
Then Gabriella starts to sing-song that came from her mind and hearts out loud as it began to rain,
When all seems
Lost in this world
Taking on race
Rather going through
The journey
But faith take
A turn to where
You least expected
I think it's called
Divine delivery
The hope of the word
Sending me on way
In the time of need
It will see us through
The dark of night
For that what
hope and love
brings In divine delivery
Gabriella stopped singing as the pouring of rain surrounding and cover Gabriella wet and cold. The coughing and shriving happen instantly as everything grew light-headed, and Gabriella was fainting to the ground in front of her mother's grave.
Back to the present, as a few days as Gabriella finally woke up in the hospital to see Peter Meade, her best friend in the world, the man who has been there and loves sleeping in her by her side. Gabriella voice hoarse from the long rest, she calls for Peter,
" Peter"
He moans, moves but doesn't wake as she giggles but moans from the of the throat but she tries again but as loud she could muster out,
" Peter, wake up, you silly goose,"
Peter open him to Gabriella smiling just as happy to see as he was to be awake.
He rushes towards embracing her with love in his heart for her. As he told her,
" I am so happy you're awake; I thought you were dead when I found you."
Gabriella's last memories were hazy as she said,
" You found me."
" Yes, at your mom's grave, I didn't waste no time taking to you the hospital they said you pneumonia," Peter touched her cheek," you could have died… I don't know what I would do if I…I can't lose you.." Gabriella took the hand that Peter was touching her cheek withheld it tight as she told him,
" You won't lose me. Thank you, Peter, for always being and there and loving me. When I get back on my feet, I am ready to take that jump off with and swing into your future together, that is if you still want to."
" Want to." He chuckles, kissing on the forehead," of course I want to."
" Good, now can you do a favor?"
" Anything,"
" I need you to make a few calls. Can you help me that?"
" of course, my angel," kisses her hand and asks
" Who is the first person you want to call?"
The first person was Jordan, and when second he heard that Gabriella was in the hospital, he wasted no time grabbing Oliver heading straight to the NY memorial. Unfortunately, though, once Jordan got to the waiting room, Oliver git a call from Shane. He answered it when his heart raced with fear hearing the panic in Shane's voice
"You must come home, Oliver. Rita is in the hospital. She is sick. We need you home."
24 hours earlier
It was the third week of poker night at Norman and Rita's house. Shane, despite her worries, felt comfort in being in Norman and Rita's home. Shane was watching Norman playing cards with Ruth and Samuel in the living room. Shane was happy to see her first godchildren with their father. Shane seeing them happy made her, but all at once, she was worried that Rita, the mother was not with them, so she asked Norman
" Norman, where has Rita run off too."
Norman paused his playing with the twins to answer Shane,
" The bathroom, she told me to stay with the kids while we wait for Ramon."
" Ramon, fashionable late always, But Rita, I have been worried that she is not looking too well."
" What do you mean, Shane."
"She hasn't been here since Oliver left, and she been stuck in the bathroom hours on end. Have you talk to me about it."
"Yes, I have, but she says fine and not to worry."
"Well, can't be sorry for her and Oliver.. they"
"They are the most important people in our lives. I am sure Oliver will call you soon and tell you the same thing,"
Norman thought Rita would want to him cheer his friends in her time of worry. He looks at Ruth and Samuel toppling and tickling one another when he got an idea, And then he told Shane,
"Let's see we can remedy that worry we both have ." Then he turns to Ruth and Samuel and yells for them,
"Ruth and Samuel, time to cheer up godmother, Auntie Shane."
Norman cuddles them for whispering in their ears; Shane's eyes light up as she the brightest smiles as they rush towards her to topple top on her on the living room carpet as start tickling her.
Norman was about to check on Rita as he could get Shane and his kids distracted long enough to fit on Rita, who has not come out of the bathroom. Norman put his ear up against the door heard nothing. He was worried, so he knocked and asked Rita,
"Rita, alright, are you alright? Can I come in?"
There was nothing, no answer, silence. He to interfere with his wife's privacy in the bathroom. But as a husband, when or wife doesn't answer you, one tends to worry and must take the necessary action as her husband. So Norman opens the track to the bathroom a crack. Sadly the damage was enough for Norman's protective worried husband instincts to kick in to burst through to see Rita lying on the bathroom floor. Norman rushes to her aid hold, screaming for her to wake up screaming to call 911.
Back to present as Oliver's call from Shane made his face pale full of worriment and fear for Norman and Rita in their well being. As Oliver assures Shane in telling over the phone,
"I will be away as soon I can, Shane. No matter what the cost, pray for Norman and Rita for me and give them my love, and Shane, I love you to be strong. I will be home."
"I will be strong as I can for Norman and Rita and our godchildren, and Oliver, I love you be safe making it home."
Oliver hanged up and looked at Jordan, telling him with eyes that he needed to go.
Jordan saw the look need to go as he told him,
"Go, I will find I will try to make it back for your Christmas wedding."
Oliver rushes out of NY memorial heading back to back up his things, and head to the airport, hoping to get a Red-eye flight home ASAP. But an hour later, what Oliver didn't expect was a snow storm coming through New York. Oliver was looking at JFK airport the window see everything covered in snow. All fights were at a standstill because of the snowstorm. Oliver had many thoughts going through his mind. Many of those thoughts being was he ever going to make it back home to Shane, Norman, and Rita in time of need? Was he going to make a good husband after being left behind the first time? But with the thoughts running through his was Oliver thought back to how all this started.
Oliver heard his pant's pocket ringing from his new cell phone Shane gave him before leaving.
When Oliver saw was Shane calling him, he couldn't bear not share the answers to his questions plaguing his thoughts. What gave Oliver solace was his reliving memory; Shane decided to buy the first cell phone that he was holding in his hands.
The Saturday before Oliver left.
Oliver and Shane were Christmas window shopping when Shane was pushing Oliver to go the Verizon phone store with her. Oliver hesitating refusing to move into the store. Oliver shook his head in disapproval, telling her,
" I am not stepping my foot into a phone shop."
" Come on, Oliver, it's time for you to open your mind to the vast world technology age, and now with you are leaving for weeks on end for Dear Santa I need assurances, and besides Norman has a cousin to get us on a good plan ."
Shane trying to pull him, but Oliver pulls her into his arms, trying to reassure her,
"Tell me, my dear Shane?"
" Tell you, what, Oliver?"
Shane ignoring his hypnotic blue eyes gaze trying to worried or doubt that he might not come in time for their wedding. Oliver could feel that worried and fear, so he tried his best to comfort the best he knew how with his words of admiration in his heart,
" What assurances do you need from me? You make sure that I promise you that I will come home to you. And why do you think a handwritten sentimental fellow like me would be in the want or a need of a cell phone."
Shane stops dragging him, walks toward him, kisses him on the cheek, leans in to whisper to him,
"Listen, I love you, Oliver, for your old fashion ways. They cherish the written word. And I know you think having a cell phone will part you from that, but trust me, it won't, But think of it as something happens to you or me. This will be another sure way for us to find another. Please, Oliver, you are leaving just before our wedding; I need you to trust me, and have faith for when we you see me calling you that I am thinking of you…missing you" kisses him again and once more on the lips and "loving you, Oliver O'Toole."
Oliver kissing her back as he whispers
"I hate to have left you just before our wedding, my dear, but the divine delivery calling. But I hate even more to disregard the wishes of my future wife if this what you wish for me to have, my dear Shane."
"Yes, Oliver, I do."
Oliver smiling hugging and holding her tight
"Good to know, you have been practicing your I dos."
Shane giggles at him but at the same time trying not to cry. They part from their embrace. Oliver leads over to the Verizon shop store to open the front door for his bride to be following her from behind. Oliver smiling knowing that making Shane happy made him happy
After reliving that memory now back to Oliver's heart aching Shane's name on his phone id, he hated to tell her he might not make home time for their Christmas wedding. He might not make a good husband. He felt unsure whether the letter he delivered helped or give peace. Oliver sat down, for he couldn't answer Shane's call, but he did listen to her voicemail,
"Oliver, it's your bride to be Shane. I am in the hospital. Ramon is watching the kids. No word yet on Rita; I am thinking of you, missing you, and loving you as I promised when I got this phone. I hope you haven't forgotten. I taught you how to answer the phone. Oliver, what is going on? I am worried. How did handing the letter go? I am sure you did well-giving wisdom, peace, and closure for you and your mother and your new found aunt. I hope you are coming back soon for our Christmas wedding, but I have no wedding without you. Please home in one piece, Oliver, be safe and know that I love you, call me back. Talk to me that what a wife is to support and care for their husband through the good and the bad. I am always here you, Oliver, always, thinking, missing, loving, your dear Shane."
And that was the end of the message, and Oliver couldn't help but weep, feel like he was failing Shane things were not going well with letter delivery or the flight back home. There was nothing he could do to change it.
Oliver is wiping the tears from his eyes and cheeks. He was moved by Shane's voicemail. He put his cell phone away and got a notebook and pen, and started to write. Oliver wrote a letter to express his worries, his doubts, and his undying love for Shane, writing a letter to her he way of writing his vows to his dear Shane. Oliver wrote while prayed and waited for a miracle to arrive to make a home for Shane and his Wedding.
Oliver didn't answer his phone. Shane at the hospital full of worries as thought to herself
Well, I am sure he has his reasons
Whatever the reason, Shane prays that Oliver makes home safe and sound.